Calderus White, Block High School Graduate
Calderus says when LOSFA staff began helping students at Block High School with college access support services like Match & Fit (to determine which institutions best served the needs of each student), filling out college applications, and providing financial literacy resources at workshops, he felt like he mattered.
He said one thing that was important for him, was to find an institution where he could take his classes online. He reached out to one of LOSFA’s Field Outreach Coordinators, Mary Cobb-Marshall, who sent him some schools that might be a fit for him.
“Mrs. Mary, she really helped me a lot. She explained everything to me. A lot of people are shy and they don’t want to speak up, but when you do people can really start to help you and guide you to what’s best for you.”
Calderus is enrolled as a freshman at Northwestern State University; as an online student, studying business. He is also working to pay for college expenses that are not covered in his financial aid package.
Upon graduation, Calderus plans to pursue a career in the entertainment industry.
“When I first heard about LOSFA, the people at school told us they [LOSFA] were going to have a meeting with us in the cafeteria. They told us about how the FAFSA works and that basically anyone can go to college – that money shouldn’t stop you from going.
CALDERUS WHITE, BLOCK HIGH SCHOOL 2019 GRADUATE
I didn’t know what direction I wanted to go, I might have completely skipped college. When they said that, that gave me new hope.”
